Contact Energy: A Case Study

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 6:01 am, January 29th, 2011 - 65 comments
Categories: overseas investment, privatisation, same old national - Tags: contact energy, privatisation

The obvious examples on failed past privatisation are TranzRail and Air New Zealand – vital bits of infrastructure that were run into the ground by their private owners, so they subsequently needed bailing out by the government. And they do have valuable lessons – vital infrastructure cannot be allowed to fail, so the private owners are guaranteed a bail-out, after they’ve asset-stripped to their heart’s content. There’s no risk, which in theory is what capitalism is meant to reward.

Another example would be Telecom, which is now providing huge dividends to its owners, when it could be subsiding schools and hospitals for taxpayers. Those same taxpayers who it most certainly does not act in the interests of, with its shameful customer service record and the fact that we’re now having to spend billions providing it with a fibre network which it should already have built.

But the closest example to National’s new proposals is Contact Energy, as sold by National in 1999.

If we look at what’s happened to Contact we can see a likely route for the ownership and behaviour of our other energy companies.

1/ Mum and Dad investors.

Contact was sold in 1999 to 225,000 shareholders. Those New Zealanders rich enough to buy a share quickly cashed in as the price rose and in 2002, a little over 3 years later, the number of shareholders had halved. It now stands at about 80,000.

2/ Foreign Ownership.

A 40% “cornerstone” stake was sold to Edison Mission Energy Taupō Limited, in addition to the 60% public float. EMET held onto it for 5 years before selling to Australia’s Origin Energy, who became the majority owner (51.4%), ensuring that most of the dividends contributed to our current account deficit as they headed overseas. How many foreign-owned companies are amongst the 20 that own 75% of Contact shares is not revealed – food for thought for those who believe being privately owned brings “transparency”.

3/ Directors’ Fees

Between splitting up the power companies in 1996 and selling off Contact in 1999 National had let Directors’ Fees balloon from $166,000 to $385,000. Under NZ-owned EMET’s guidance that was reduced and controlled. But as soon as Australian-owned Origin took over they nearly tripled. They tried to double them again during the height of the financial crisis in 2008 (whilst also hiking prices by 10%, and increasing their pay-out in dividends), but Bruce Sheppard and his Shareholders’ Association managed to block the increase in directors’ fees. Still, they’ve increased from $770,000 then to $993,000 in 2010. That’s nearly $1million for a few men to each put in a few hours’ work each week. $250k for a part-time job.

4/ Lost Dividends

Since 1999 Contact has paid out $1.5 billion in dividends to its shareholders. The majority of that money has gone overseas, with no benefit to our country (or even “Mum and Dad investors”), instead of paying for a few schools and hospitals. An asset sold for $2.3 billion in 1999 is now worth $3.7 billion – and that increased wealth of an asset built and paid for by our ancestors is going to Australia.

Does it make sense to sell our Energy companies? Will it make us richer? No. It’s like selling your house to pay off your mortgage – the debt may be gone, but you’re living on the street.

65 comments on “Contact Energy: A Case Study ”

Comments are now closed

Colonial Viper 1

29 January 2011 at 6:27 am

Succinct and damning. And exactly what Bill and John want to see a repeat of. As far as I am concerned, proposing the sale of our strategic hard energy assets to foreign powers is literally an act of sedition. If they actually go through and do it, it should be considered akin to treason against the people and the future of NZ.
- vipers revenge 1.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 8:44 am
  
  So Phil Goff as part of the last Labour Government that sold off NZ strategic assets should be done for treason?
  - Jum 1.1.1
    
    29 January 2011 at 9:22 am
    
    Vipers Revenge,
    
    Goff learned that selling off your profit making infrastructure and leaving employees at the mercy of jerk-off foreign/greedy NZ businessmen was not a good idea. Labour rid itself of the pondscum Douglas who is now having a love-in with JKeyll and Hide and finishing his destruction of New Zealand’s ability to run its own affairs.
    
    The betrayal of NActMU is that it has learned what happened with Douglas’s policies as finance minister in the 1980’s government and has fine tuned those policies, along with the TPPAgreement to loot our country. Making a mistake and fixing it like Clark’s government did by buying the rail back is forgiveable. Using the mistake, perfecting it to use against Kiwis is sedition.
    
    [Deleted. Not needed. RL]
    - vipers revenge 1.1.1.1
      
      29 January 2011 at 9:32 am
      
      Yep Kiwirail is a great success. The argument by Comunist Viper was that Bill & John should be done for treason. So I guess if Labur do it, it’s ok but when National do it it’s treason.
      
      [Deleted…not needed. RL]
      - Jum 1.1.1.1.1
        
        29 January 2011 at 10:09 am
        
        Vipers Revenge
        
        Maybe the difference here is that Labour bought back rail, with ever-increasing numbers using it and not enough carriages to carry the increase, thereby giving back ownership and profits to the people, but NAct sells off assets that belong to New Zealanders not individuals in the government, which are then given out in unequal tax cuts mostly to those who don’t need them.
        
        The finance company debacle down south was a perfect example of money going back to those who took no risks, which is what investing is supposed to be about isn’t it – the higher the risk, the higher the reward? With the investors covered by government underwriting, and with English allowing the greedy investors to increase their investment (without risk, knowing the company was going to fall over) and being fully paid by this government even the amounts not required to be paid back. How crooked is that.
        
        Deadly_NZ 1.1.1.1.1.1
        
        29 January 2011 at 10:42 am
        
        And you really have to ask, and I have no bias either way on this. But why did the SFO take over Hubbards finance company, when there were so many more shoddily run companies out there, that probably needed the same treatment. So I ask this Why Him (hubbard) and what did he do to PISS off the powers that be. Because really he was no worse than any of the others out there and at least he paid out the divs on time from what i have read, unlike some of the others. So who did he Piss off? There you go a conspiracy for you to think about, on a Wet saturday.
        
        KJT 1.1.1.1.1.2
        
        29 January 2011 at 10:54 am
        
        Its called insider trading and is supposedly illegal.
        
        Deadly_NZ …
        
        29 January 2011 at 11:03 pm
        
        I never heard anything about that only about supposedly too many loans and not enough money/paper trail.
        
        KJT …
        
        31 January 2011 at 12:48 pm
        
        Many large investors jumped in despite knowing SCF was going to fail because they knew the Government would bail it out. Only one way they could know that for sure.
- johnm 1.2
  
  29 January 2011 at 9:58 am
  
  Well said CV! I agree 100% That’s why I have only contempt for ACT-nat, they really don’t care about the ordinary NZer but blindly follow their has been imported ideology from the U$—and look what a state that unhappy Country is in.
- wasi 1.3
  
  29 January 2011 at 8:55 pm
  
  i agree that the sale by governments (of any hue)…of NZ`s strategic assets is tantamount to treason…in my view this could or may have been an underlying reason for the passing of the Abolition of the Death Penalty bill in 1989 by the labour govt…specifically Clause 3: Removal of death penalty for crime of treason…i know it sounds like a very, very long stretch but check out the list of privatisers who made up the Ayes on this one…
  
  http://vdig.net/hansard/archive.jsp?y=1989&m=11&d=08&o=58&p=64
- Steve Withers 1.4
  
  1 February 2011 at 2:01 pm
  
  I’m inclined to agree. The people putting forward these sales are either dreadfully stupid or deeply cynical…..or perhaps both. The evidence to date with respect to such sales is very clear and one need only look at it and think about what it means.
  
  This National-lead government do not appear to have either looked or thought. Many of their voters aren’t inclined to either. Any faith-based party will eventually make a mess of things…and National does appear to be faith-based where economic policy is concerned.
  
  My own view is they should be required by law to change the name of their party to something more accurately reflecting what they really stand for: “Multi-National Party”.
Craig Glen Eden 2

29 January 2011 at 8:48 am

The there is the other issue that the proponents of state asset sales go on about that is the the very misleading line that private companies are more efficient.
This of coarse is usually short for restructuring so we take employees and turn them into contractors as is the case with telecom.So that drives income levels down ( in those households) and there Keys done it he has further decreased the standard of living for those households.

So called efficiency! Thats short for screw the average working man and women.

The fat cats get richer not through hard work but bludging off the masses.

Anti spam word SWITCHS yes indeed.
- KJT 2.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 11:38 am
  
  There is no inherent reason why private or public companies should be more or less efficient than each other.
  Though it depends on your definition of efficiency.
  Building shareholder wealth at the expense of the rest of the economy. (Power companies both public and private, supermarkets and banks). Preventing a much greater cost to business and society of a US style insurance and litigation system. (ACC). Paying managers and directors many times as much as staff a reward for cutting staff pay and customer service. (Ports of Auckland, Telecom and many others subject to the “cult of managerialism” http://thestandard.org.nz/too-much-of-a-good-thing/#comment-291528.).
  Transferring wealth offshore. (Telecom, Contact etc). Preventing private companies from imposing monopoly rents. (Kiwibank).
  Educating skilled staff for business and informed citizens at a relatively modest cost. (The NZ public education system).
  
  It comes down to the quality of management which has dropped markedly since we let the accountants off their stools in the back office.
  Note that successful companies in countries like Germany, Japan and Dane mark manage to find exceptional directors and managers despite much lower relative pay scales than Anglo Saxon countries. Usually from the ranks of the skilled in their own companies
- ghostwhowalksnz 2.2
  
  29 January 2011 at 3:13 pm
  
  More efficient ???
  
  The real point about getting a partial stock market listing is that the next step is to say we have ‘too many ‘power companies..
  Its ‘more efficient’ if say the 4 main ones become two. This is only possible if you have a stock exchange listing to start with, even when the government still owns ( for now) the majority of the shares, National will say the offer is too good to turn down ( Key will of course ditch any previous promises not to sell).
  
  And how is the takeovers which reduce down to a duopoly achieved? By borrowed money of course, from overseas, thereby making a mockery of nationals ‘debt’ argument.
Psycho Milt 3

29 January 2011 at 8:51 am

And yet journos seem to write about the NZ voters’ allergy to asset sales as though it were some kind of unfathomable personality disorder, rather than a straightforward manifestation of learning from previous experience.
- Craig Glen Eden 3.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 9:07 am
  
  Yes its the old if we cover it with sugar it wont taste so bad take your medicine its good for you cos we know best
  .Anti spam word THREAT
Janice 4

29 January 2011 at 9:31 am

Please can we have another march like the anti-mining march? I am getting my placards ready now. “HANDS OFF OUR ASSETS”, “SELLING OUR STUFF IS THEFT”, “MUM AND DAD ALREADY OWN IT”, “DON’T SELL” etc. It might just make John & Co stop and think and it could politicise the deliberately “don’t knows”.
- johnm 4.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 10:09 am
  
  I’ll join you Janice! There are real people here in NZ ThankGod! NZ Business has failed big time (Look at all those failed Finance Companies!) Now they want to canibalise the Public’s assets which they’ll stuff up for profit as well, assisted by the traitors Key and English.We shouldn’t supplicate but should show our just ANGER.
  - Just Me 4.1.1
    
    29 January 2011 at 12:26 pm
    
    Whats the need. As much as you might like to criticize the policy National has acted completely appropriately and advertised their intentions well ahead of the Election so that voters will be able to vote whether or not they want this course of action.
- Jum 4.2
  
  29 January 2011 at 12:33 pm
  
  I will join you Janice. The mining march was an important one to be on. The privatisation one is even more important.
  
  The TPPA this government intends to sign which allows foreign corporates to control our governments for the next 100 years and beyond is even more important than that. It covers everything that we risk losing autonomy over – ENERGY, environment, Pharmac, land, public government. Jane Kelsey I’m sure will be asking for our support to highlight this to the slumbering public who supposedly elected JKeyll who said he believed in the freedom of the individual. He lied. Come November we will have zero freedom in our own country.
  
  That is what we really need to march for. The right to have a say. The last so-called democracy march was a scam to get its organiser headlines for his attempt at the Auckland mayoralty and a very weak cover for the hitters and batterers to bring back the written right for big people to hit small people. Sad.
  - KJT 4.2.1
    
    29 January 2011 at 3:26 pm
    
    Whatever the underlying reasons, they were right about the lack of Democracy.
- Deadly_NZ 4.3
  
  29 January 2011 at 11:13 pm
  
  JK has already said “push off I am not changing my mind”
ianmac 5

29 January 2011 at 9:35 am

An excellent summary of privatisation Bunji. They are selling the plan on the basis that NZ has soaring debt. The Government debt was near zero in 2008 and the borrowing by Nact has pushed it out to about $30 billion. Of course Key chooses to join that with Private debt to make us look as bad as the PIGS. Bluddy dishonest!
millsy 6

29 January 2011 at 9:49 am

Anyone noticed that Landcorp was not in Key’s little list?

Im getting really sick of this selling the family silver nonsense. Even Labour did it between 1999 and 2008, with Terralink, and some individual forests and natural gas/geothermal rersources.

You could even count treaty settlements as privatisation. John Key only just realised that handing over one of our largest national parks to a unaccountable iwi elite was actually against the grain of what is good and decent in this country.

Ill tell you right now, if the responsibility of providing certain infrastructure had been left to the private sector, we would

1) have large parts of rural New Zealand without a landline phone service
2) large parts of rural new zealand without electricity, indeed we wouldnt have half the hydro stations we have now, something about private sector owners wanting a profit or return or some nonsence like that
3) Places like New Plymouth, the central north island, and parts of the coast wouldnt have a television service.
4) Etc.
millsy 7

29 January 2011 at 10:07 am

Even the farmers benefited from a strong public sector, with the DSIR and the Min. of Ag and Fish undertaking rigorous research and development on how to get the most protein from a paddock, etc, and passing in onto farms, and the university system, supplemented by places like Flock House, etc provided training for young people who wanted a career in agriculture.
- KJT 7.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 5:35 pm
  
  Farmers are the first to line up for tax payer handouts when weather or any thing else affects their business.
  I am not philosophically opposed to helping export earning business that is good for the rest of us.
  It would be nice, though, if they acknowledged the help they get from these bailouts, farm worker education, government research funding, tax payer support and our paying more than world prices for their products. Not to mention us kindly supplying them with roads, rail and ports to get their products to market.
  
  No one has yet taken me up on my asking for any one who can show me a farmer who pays income taxes.
Craig Glen Eden 8

29 January 2011 at 10:27 am

Key has already said on Facebook that he wont backdown not even if there is marching in the streets.

What the left need to do is get people out to vote against privatization at the next election as well of coarse as a good March up Queen St.
- ZeeBop 8.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 10:36 am
  
  What Key knows is there are millions of kiwis who cannot get a loan to buy these shares, and hopes that the rest of NZ will not be ashamed at themselves in making a quick profit onselling the shares to big finance. I would not be surprised if gangs gave their members money to buy the shares and then sell them afterwards for the profit. That’s how bleeding crazy Key is. If he is so reckless with the government financies that he blows out the debt, then surely he could atleast just selling off future dividends not the asset. If its good enough for Fonterra! Why not the government!
- Draco T Bastard 8.2
  
  29 January 2011 at 1:02 pm
  
  We need to get the information that Bunji has made available here and disperse it far and wide and keep doing it every week for every piece of infrastructure sold.
Treetop 9

29 January 2011 at 11:22 am

“New Zealand the way you want it” Muldoon’s election campaign line in 1975.

“Foreign ownership of New Zealand assests” Key’s election campaign line in 2011.

Shame bill boards saying the above could not be erected around the country.
- Draco T Bastard 9.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 1:03 pm
  
  “New Zealand the way you want it” Muldoon’s election campaign line in 1975.
  
  And then he went on to cancel the compulsory super scheme which would have helped provide us with the NZ that we wanted.
  - Treetop 9.1.1
    
    29 January 2011 at 2:48 pm
    
    I have compared Key to Muldoon a number of times on the Standard and will continue to do so. Key will kill Kiwi Saver to, he has already lowered the contribution from 4 % to 2 %.
    - millsy 9.1.1.1
      
      29 January 2011 at 6:38 pm
      
      I was only a little baby when Muldoon was PM, but historical records I have read are notably absent of RDM selling the family silver, chopping the DPB, privatising health and education, etc
      - Draco T Bastard 9.1.1.1.1
        
        29 January 2011 at 6:43 pm
        
        Muldoon was a Keynesian so he wouldn’t have actually done a lot of what JK and NACT have done or even what National did in the 1990s. But he was still a short term thinking conservative as his dismantling of the compulsory super shows. If he hadn’t done that then we would have the capital base in NZ that everyone seems to think we need.
        
        millsy 9.1.1.1.1.1
        
        29 January 2011 at 9:32 pm
        
        The New Zealand Superannuation Corporation would have been carved up by the Ruth Richardsons and the Roger Douglases like a plump Christmas turkey come the 1980’s, and by the time those who first started paying into are ready to draw down on it, there would be nothing there.
        
        Muldoon did us a favour. New Zealand superannuation may not be cheap, but its a damn sight better than the retired having to live on the streets, or take low wages jobs, I really dont see how that could be the vision for someone’s soceity.
        
        KJT 9.1.1.1.1.2
        
        31 January 2011 at 9:06 pm
        
        Much as I disliked Muldoon and his policies, give the old bugger his due, he did do what he and his advisers thought was right for NZ at the time. Not all the think big projects were wrong looking at the money private owners have made from them since.
        Unlike the intent on theft 80’s ACT Government, the succeeding National Government and our present lot, who are just glove puppets for large international corporations and our moneyocracy
      - Deadly_NZ 9.1.1.1.2
        
        29 January 2011 at 11:21 pm
        
        Muldoon was the Author Think Big that was around the time of the last oil scare.
        https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Think_Big
        
        Treetop 9.1.1.1.2.1
        
        31 January 2011 at 7:09 pm
        
        Well talk about Think Big.
        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10703096
        
        Is public debt the deficiet? Because if it is I was misinformed that the highest deficiet is forecast this year 15 billion.
        
        Think Big created public debt to 21.9 billion in 1984.
Bill 10

29 January 2011 at 11:24 am

I’m guessing there will be another round of 1980s TINA (There Is No Alternative).

Potential credit downgrades from the likes of Standard and Poors ( the very bastards complicit in crashing the global economy) will be trotted out as compelling reasons to sell to reduce debt levels. Bogey man fears of capital flight will be trotted out too.

‘Our’ corporate media will dutifully regurgitate neo-liberal mantras of ‘necessity’ vis a vis asset sales, austerity and debt reduction.

Two questions.

1. What is our debt to GDP ratio ( if that’s the correct measure) now, in relation to historical debt ratios and to other ‘developed’ economies?

2. What are the parliamentary opposition going to posit as alternatives?
- Draco T Bastard 10.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 1:06 pm
  
  1a) Public debt is about 20%
  1b) Private debt is about 80%
  
  John Key and the MSM have been adding the two together to make it look worse than it is.
  - Bill 10.1.1
    
    29 January 2011 at 2:05 pm
    
    UK government debt sits at 70% of gdp.
    
    This is lower than the debt levels of the US, Canada, Germany, Japan, Italy and France.
    
    Historically, between 1920 – 60 UK debt levels never fell below 100%…and there were no calls for austerity or for selling off assets.
    
    Meanwhile, NZ debt is just above 40% of gdp according to this piece I found on ‘stuff’
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/4542411/NZ-debt-levels-compare-favourably.
    
    Which means that NZ simply does not have a debt problem and therefore no need to sell anything.
    
    As an addition. Here’s a link for debt levels from 2009. New Zealand sits at number 90 (29.3%).
    http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/economics/list-of-national-debt-by-country/
    
    In 2010 NZ improved to number 97.
    https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2186rank.html
    
    Am I missing something? Or is there no rational economic argument for suddenly panicking over debt levels that are by no means unusual?
    - Draco T Bastard 10.1.1.1
      
      29 January 2011 at 2:50 pm
      
      There never was a rational argument for selling state assets. We lose big time when we do as can be seen by what’s happened with Contact and Telecom. This means that NACT are lying about the need to do so and the benefits that will accrue because of those sales.
      
      As I’ve said before: If a NACT MP is speaking just assume that they’re lying and you’ll most likely be right
    - ianmac 10.1.1.2
      
      29 January 2011 at 4:37 pm
      
      Bill I wanted a simple figure/percentage on Debt so that my letter to the editor could state the obvious. NZ is not in a debt crisis so that cannot be a reason to privatise.
      My problem is the contradiction (apples with oranges) in the Stuff column.
      From a low point of 26 percent of GDP just before the New Zealand economy entered a prolonged, but mild, recession, the ratio of gross general government debt to GDP had risen to over 40 percent and would rise somewhat further over the next few years, Moody’s said.
      
      The central government’s net debt, which was the government’s policy target, was projected to rise from a low of about 6 percent of GDP in 2008 to nearly 30 percent in 2015, when it would peak and begin declining. The long term goal of fiscal policy was to reduce that ratio to under 20 percent.
      I want to write in simple terms:
      the Debt in 2008 was x
      the debt in 2011 is y
      
      Please clarify?
      - Bill 10.1.1.2.1
        
        30 January 2011 at 3:01 am
        
        How the f*ck can I clarify someone else’s article? Is the 6% a typo, insofar as 26% would afford consistency?
    - Lanthanide 10.1.1.3
      
      29 January 2011 at 6:15 pm
      
      “Am I missing something? Or is there no rational economic argument for suddenly panicking over debt levels that are by no means unusual?”
      
      Between 1920 and 1960, with the economic backdrop of ever-increasing growth and technology improvements all the way along, perhaps over 100% debt didn’t look problematic? Now, in a world of increasing energy and food prices and residual termoil from the financial crisis (multiple countries in Europe on the brink, US in the doldrums) suddenly 70% GDP debt looks very risky.
      
      In other words it’s not the actual number itself that is problematic, it’s the number compared to the short to medium term world situation that is problematic.
Roger 11

29 January 2011 at 11:35 am

“Since 1999 Contact has paid out $1.5 billion in dividends to its shareholders.”

Funny isn’t it. That is exactly how much Anne Tolley and Bill English reckon its going to cost to fix the leaky school building problem that has given Tolley sleepless nights. She doesn’t know where the money is going to come from. Funny also that the leaky building problem, as well as the debt problem are of their own making but they play us for idiots by suggesting that these are problems that came from nowhere. If that $1.5 was going to the government this problem could have been fixed and Anne Tolley can go back to sleep (a state which renders her less dangerous and stupid).
- KJT 11.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 11:41 am
  
  Leaky buildings should be billed to the politicians responsible for deregulation.
jimmy 12

29 January 2011 at 11:42 am

Id be interested to know weather its even possible to give ‘ma nd pa’ investors first dibs considering out free-trade agreements… has anybody come accross info on the subject?
- KJT 12.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 11:51 am
  
  Clauses in many of our “free trade” agreements forbid treating foreign investor’s differently from local ones.
  
  http://www.asean.fta.govt.nz/chapter-11-investment/
  “Each Party shall accord to investors of another Party, and to covered investments, in relation to the establishment, acquisition, expansion, management, conduct, operation, liquidation, sale, transfer or other disposition of investments, treatment no less favourable than that it accords, in like circumstances, to its own investors and their investments”.
  - jimmy 12.1.1
    
    29 January 2011 at 12:36 pm
    
    Thanks, now how is Key gonna weasle his way out of this one?
    
    captcha: dirty
Jum 13

29 January 2011 at 12:00 pm

Never mind selling off our assets; why not sell off this government. Any takers? NActMU going cheap.

What the heck. No charge, just get ’em out of the country. Now.
Jum 14

29 January 2011 at 12:07 pm

So interesting I’ve printed it again on your behalf, KJT.
‘KJT 12.1
29 January 2011 at 11:51 am

Clauses in many of our “free trade” agreements forbid treating foreign investor’s differently from local ones.

http://www.asean.fta.govt.nz/chapter-11-investment/
“Each Party shall accord to investors of another Party, and to covered investments, in relation to the establishment, acquisition, expansion, management, conduct, operation, liquidation, sale, transfer or other disposition of investments, treatment no less favourable than that it accords, in like circumstances, to its own investors and their investments”.’

If NAct get the TPPAgreement through in November which allows corporates to sue New Zealand if we try to keep our assets in New Zealand hands can we sue those foreign corporates for attacking our individual rights as New Zealanders.

Can we ensure any monies the taxpayers are forced to pay to these corporates, because of JKeyll signing the TPPA allowing them to sue us or raise our drug costs, are oncharged to JKeyll’s private account?
ghostwhowalksnz 15

29 January 2011 at 3:02 pm

Dont forget Contact/Origin has by its policies been instrumental in gaming the energy supply system
)1 They sold the turbines for the original power station at Stratford, which is a known choke point in the grid, all the better to boost prices.
2) They have let the New Plymouth power station run down, and have now decommissioned it. All the better to restrict generation capacity so that shortages drive up prices – which dont come down when the weather conditions return to normal
marty mars 16

29 January 2011 at 3:22 pm

It was raised on another thread but I’ll post this link to a great program of what happened in Montana.

http://watch.montanapbs.org/video/1432006422/

Are there ‘behind the scenes’ manipulators here too – only the gullible would say no.
climate justice 17

29 January 2011 at 6:19 pm

Pike is a private mine… it may be that mines would be more deadly is Solid Energy were sold off:

Union, chamber blame privatization for Turkish mine deaths http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=digging-out-death-mine-or-death-trap-2010-05-19

Here is an in depth study on privatisation in the energy sector in Victoria:
Learning the lessons from Project Victoria and the privatisation of Victoria’s electricity industry: http://www.uow.edu.au/~sharonb/ProjVictoria.html

It is worth noting who is fishing in New Zealand too:
Greywolf is in a joint-venture agreement with Chinese energy company Qinghua Group, which is still considering a multibillion-dollar investment in lignite conversion, port development and a steel mill in New Zealand

Giant Chinese energy company Qinghua Group – with more than $12 billion of mining assets – is assessing several billion-dollar projects across the South Island

He hoped to be told next week of a time at which Greywolf and Qinghua’s chairman would meet with Finance Minister Bill English and Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee. He hoped they would meet before Christmas.

Because of the Pike River disaster a meeting with them had been postponed.

——
If labour was on the mark it would make climate and foreign ownership central issues. Nikki Kaye being forced to make a stance on Lignite coal mining etc vs Labour having a position on clean energy and a low carbon economy would make Labour have a point of difference.

Labour either can work with the greens or it can’t. It needs to show what it has, and how it is different to National…
- Draco T Bastard 17.1
  
  29 January 2011 at 8:49 pm
  
  Labour still believes that selling out our resources to foreign corporates is good for the country.
climate justice 18

29 January 2011 at 6:24 pm

re Free Trade, Tim Groser as the trade minister is trying to get a Free Trade deal with India to send more coal there, as it is the main place New Zealand exports coal to, yet he is also climate minister… conflict of interest???
- orange whip? 18.1
  
  30 January 2011 at 7:54 am
  
  “Climate” is one of those portfolios the Nats have to fill so they don’t look like complete neanderthals, but it’s not a job any of them take seriously and requires no specific action on the part of the minister.
  
  Also see: conservation, labour, women’s affairs
climate justice 19

29 January 2011 at 11:22 pm

Chinese companies behind Key’s privatisation of Solid Energy and energy companies?

“We had hoped to make announcements in the new year, but the [three New Zealand] visits by Qinghua have been attracting attention,” said Mr Lancaster, whose company directors include brother Michael and son Jolian.

Mr Lancaster said meetings were being sought through the offices of Prime Minister John Key and Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee, but the Pike River disaster had prompted deferral of meetings “for several weeks”, he said.

Mr Lancaster described Qinghua Group as the largest private Chinese mining company and “the Chinese version of BHP Billiton in Australia”, the world’s largest diversified resource group.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/business/139064/chinese-assess-si-mining-projects
climate justice 20

29 January 2011 at 11:23 pm

“They had hopes eventually to mine 10 million tonnes of coal a year. That is more than twice what New Zealand’s biggest miner, Solid Energy, is doing now.”
travellerev 21

30 January 2011 at 12:45 pm

I keep thinking of this nice quote about privatisation from Noam Chomsky:

“Privatisation does not mean you take a public institution and give it to some nice person. It means you take a public institution and give it to an unaccountable tyranny.”

Nuff said
- Jum 21.1
  
  31 January 2011 at 1:48 pm
  
  Travellerev,
  “take a public institution and give it to an unaccountable tyranny.”
  
  That’s what we allowed Rodney Hide to do with Auckland by turning our assets over to unaccountable CCOs. Luckily (and one in the eye for JKeyll, Hide and Banks) we have Len Brown holding back the privateers.
fair trade not free trade 22

31 January 2011 at 1:02 am

Perhaps more than 50,000 will be marching soon
- Jum 22.1
  
  31 January 2011 at 1:52 pm
  
  When? Where?
  
  I’ll be there; just make sure it is in all cities and every New Zealander knows what they risk by not marching to show their anti feelings towards privatisation, whatever fancy name/s JKeyll gives it.
  
  Who is organizing it? The Greens are great organizers. Labour needs to make it clear what they stand for about privatization – no fancy footwork; just a plain NO to giving New Zealand away will do. There are always better alternatives to selling off the things that earn you money. That’s a no-brainer.
  
  Labour, use your combined talents to achieve a better country with no sell-offs, partial or otherwise.

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Bowalley Road
6 days ago

Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
6 days ago

Release: Dark day for Kiwi kids as a third of Govt cuts affect them
News that 1000 jobs at the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki could go is devastating for future generations of New Zealanders. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Release: Alarm as Government signals further blow to school lunches
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Release: Quick, submit – stop Govt’s dodgy approvals bill
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Government throws coal on the climate crisis fire
The Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations. ...
Greens
3 days ago

Release: Public transport costs to double as National looks at unaffordable roading project instead
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
Labour Blog
4 days ago

Release: Cost of living in Auckland still not a priority
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Labour Blog
4 days ago

Greens look to fast-track submissions on harmful law
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homes
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on media
The action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Landlord Government leaves little hope for renters
The Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Opportunity to build a more sustainable economy
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Significant step forward in fixing cruel and unjust past
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environment
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to Government
Tens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention Office
Labour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

CCC issues warning over further climate delay
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadership
If talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Luxon targets are lousy example of leadership
If talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt priorities
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Methane target review is dangerous duplication
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled students
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: National must take mental health seriously
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwards
The Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cuts
New Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing plan
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do list
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this April
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 hour ago

Judicial appointments announced
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 hours ago

Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 hours ago

Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 hours ago

Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 hours ago

Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 hours ago

Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
17 hours ago

Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
22 hours ago

Taupō takes pole position
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
24 hours ago

Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Government backing mussel spat project
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Government focused on getting people into work
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Inflation coming down, but more work to do
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Roads of National Significance planning underway
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Navigating an unstable global environment
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Joint US and NZ declaration
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

I wholeheartedly recommend The President: a brilliant revival of a play of decay, terror and revulsi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
54 mins ago

How the coolest little capital is shrinking
It's not the first time a government has targeted public servants for job cuts, but this time Wellington is really feeling it. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 hour ago

Many prisoners go years without touching a smartphone. It means they struggle to navigate life on th...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 hour ago

Ministers accused of Cabinet Manual breach with threats to Waitangi Tribunal
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
1 hour ago

Good news: midlife health is about more than a waist measurement. Here’s why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 hour ago

The Friday Poem: ‘Mitochondrial Problem’ by Evangeline Riddiford Graham
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The SpinoffBy Evangeline Riddiford Graham
1 hour ago

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 18
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38) Hot off the press, this debut ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff Review of Books
1 hour ago

Department of Conservation closing Dunedin centre, but no jobs lost
Visitor habits are changing and DOC needs to adapt in a financially sustainable way, its operations director says. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 hour ago

Unions Collaborate With Thousands Of Job Cuts
With New Zealand officially in recession, a swathe of mass sackings is currently sending shockwaves through the entire working class. ...
Scoop politics
1 hour ago

Watch live: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in Manila
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters in Manila after pledging greater defence cooperation with the Philippines. Watch live. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 hours ago

Government sent please explain letter to Wellington City Council over transport disagreement
The contents were revealed in correspondence from Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop to Wellington's Mayor. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 hours ago

Some families push back against journalists who mine social media for photos – they have every rig...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 hours ago

Mental Health Foundation staff cuts loom, with funding falling behind rising costs
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 hours ago

The ‘devil comet’ 12P/Pons-Brooks has finally become visible from Australia. What can we expect?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Pons–Brooks visible from Utah, March 9 2024. James Peirce/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND If you’re a fan of all things space, you’ve doubtless heard about the “devil comet”, which has been captivating keen-eyed observers in the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
3 hours ago

Rugby stadiums are sold as an economic asset – but NZ needs to ask if they’re really worth it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hamlin, Senior Lecturer in Marketing , University of Otago A multi-billion dollar stadium precinct has been proposed for Auckland, one of three proposals in front of Auckland Council for a new stadium in the city. The council is also considering revamping ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
3 hours ago

Auckland dog attacks: Callouts for attacks on other animals going up
Roaming dogs are responsible for more than a thousand attacks on animals each year, and the number is growing. ...
Radio NZ – political
3 hours ago

What access to puberty blockers means for trans young people and their whānau
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
The SpinoffBy Julia de Bres
3 hours ago

NZ and Philippines pledge defence cooperation amid rising tensions
The commitment came after a sit-down meeting between Christopher Luxon and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr overnight. ...
Radio NZ – political
4 hours ago

How superblocks can help reimagine city life
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
The SpinoffBy Ellen Rykers
5 hours ago

Fire engineering expertise may take a big hit with job cuts at MBIE
The public sector cuts are poised to take out a big chunk of expertise at the country's building regulator. ...
Radio NZ – political
5 hours ago

“Fast-track Law To Kill Kiwi”: Students Say Fight Against Anti-democracy Legislation Is Only Jus...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Scoop politics
6 hours ago

‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in India
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

Online schooling is not just for lockdowns. Could it work for your child?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

Hear me out: You can shove your reusable period products
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
The SpinoffBy Kristin Kelly
6 hours ago

Rip It Up And Start Over – Fast-Track Approvals Bill Needs To Be Scrapped
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
Scoop politics
6 hours ago

Maori Authority Warns Government On Fast Track Legislation
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Scoop politics
7 hours ago

Why the government’s haste in changing the health system could come back to haunt it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

Many suicides are related to gambling. How can we tackle this problem?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

Things that go buzz in the night – our global study found there really are more insects out after ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

Why don’t Australians talk about their salaries? Pay transparency and fairness go hand-in-hand
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

‘Character’ And Its Impact On Immigration Status
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
Scoop politics
7 hours ago

20,000 more on jobseeker benefits than this time last year
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
The SpinoffBy Catherine McGregor
8 hours ago

All of the Raglan Roast cafes in Wellington, ranked from worst to best
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
The SpinoffBy Zoë Mills
10 hours ago

Auckland uni students threaten rent strike over rising accommodation fees
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously. The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
10 hours ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
10 hours ago

Financial literacy should be on all of us
Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Bryce Marsden
10 hours ago

Missy rustles to stardom in Canada
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
NewsroomBy Aiden McLaughlin
10 hours ago

Emissions fall again – now NZ needs to up the pace
Official figures confirm New Zealand produced less climate pollution in 2022 than in any other year in the 21st century The post Emissions fall again – now NZ needs to up the pace appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
10 hours ago

Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved
Shane Jones says people voted for change, but opponents say small cuts such as ending a special oceans secretariat are starting to add up The post Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Andrew Bevin
10 hours ago

Defence deal to counter Beijing’s aggression in South China Sea
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
NewsroomBy Laura Walters
10 hours ago

Wellington’s ebb and flow of public servants
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
NewsroomBy Tom Kitchin
10 hours ago

New Zealand transport planning has gone off the rails
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
NewsroomBy Dr Timothy F Welch
10 hours ago

Daily crossword, Friday 19 April
The post Daily crossword, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
10 hours ago

Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows
The transport sector is currently in the slow lane The post Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Emma Hatton
10 hours ago

Grattan on Friday: Ethnic tensions will complicate the Albanese government’s multicultural policy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

Group plans work to improve safety of female MPs
New research shows harassment of elected officials - especially women - is on the rise. ...
Radio NZ – political
17 hours ago

Ukraine warns of WW3 ahead of long-stalled Congress aid vote
Ukraine's Prime Minister says his country desperately needs the US to approve long-stalled security assistance. ...
Radio NZ – political
18 hours ago

PSA astonished Education Minister expects hiring of contractors to review curriculum
Hiring contractors is an appalling solution when people who could do the work are losing their jobs, the PSA says. ...
Radio NZ – political
19 hours ago

Crown lawyers attempt to block Waitangi Tribunal summons to Minister for Children
The Tribunal had called on Minister for Children Karen Chhour to provide evidence at an urgent inquiry into the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...
Radio NZ – political
21 hours ago

Luxon refuses to guarantee public consultation on AUKUS Pillar 2
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it's "far too premature" to be confirming whether the public would be consulted on joining AUKUS Pillar 2. ...
Radio NZ – political
22 hours ago

Visualising the 1800s or designing wedding invitations: 6 ways you can use AI beyond generating text
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Midjourney image by T.J. Thomson As more than half of Australian office workers report using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for work, we’re starting to see this technology affect every ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

Falls, fractures and self-harm: 4 charts on how kids’ injury risk changes over time and differs fo...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Nicole Sharwood, Injury epidemiologist | Expert Witness, UNSW Sydney Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock Injuries are the leading cause of disability and death among Australian children and adolescents. At least a quarter of all emergency department presentations during childhood are injury-related. Injuries can ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

Choice and control: will NDIS reforms mean people with disability don’t get to decide who they liv...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Di Winkler, Adjunct Associate Professor, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University Shutterstock/Ground Picture Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

Asbestos in playground mulch: how to avoid a repeat of this circular economy scandal
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Salman Shooshtarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Salman Shooshtarian Asbestos has been found in mulch used for playgrounds, schools, parks and gardens across Sydney and Melbourne. Local communities naturally fear for the health of their ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

Could Albanese’s bet on homegrown green industries be the boost our regions deserve?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Taylor, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University Cloudy Designs/Shutterstock Right now, there’s a global race underway. The goal: bring back manufacturing and energy jobs as the energy transition speeds up. In 2022, America launched its mammoth Inflation Reduction Act and the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

Watch: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon won't say if government will consult public on joining ...
Asked multiple times if the public will be consulted on joining the defence pact, Luxon repeatedly said that was yet to be worked through. ...
Radio NZ – political
23 hours ago

Watch live: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks in Philippines
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters on the third leg of his Southeast Asia trip, from Manila in the Philippines. ...
Radio NZ – political
23 hours ago

Māori lawyers call Shane Jones' Waitangi Tribunal comments 'inappropriate'
The Māori Law Society says his comments breach the principle of the separation of powers and the Cabinet Manual. ...
Radio NZ – political
24 hours ago

Abortions Increase 25% Since Law Change
Family First says that the latest abortion statistics make grim and upsetting reading, with a 25% increase in abortions since the decriminalisation of abortion in March 2020. According to an Official Information Act request received by Right to Life ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Over Half Of New Zealanders Feel That The Country Is In Decline And That Our Society Is Broken
Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study on populism reveals a pervasive sense of societal and economic decline among New Zealanders. MORE DETAILS AND FULL REPORT HERE Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Australia’s new defence strategy is big on ideas, but lacks one key ingredient: well-trained soldi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University There have been a lot of defence announcements recently about buying new equipment, building up Australia’s manufacturing capabilities, creating local jobs, new legislation to support AUKUS and even a new defence chief. In ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

What does Steve Smith’s Stateside signing mean for cricket in the US – and Australia?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney Steve Smith, one of this generation’s finest batters, has conquered much of the cricketing world during his career, and he now has set his sights on a new frontier: the United ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

A love letter to Wellington: when i open the shop by romesh dissanayake, reviewed
Madeleine Ballard reviews the debut novel from romesh dissanayake. when I open the shop, the debut novel by Naarm-based Aotearoa writer romesh dissanayake (Sri Lankan, Koryo Saram), is a narrative of grief. Devendra loses his mother, opens a noodle shop on The Terrace, grieves, and emerges changed. But just as ...
The SpinoffBy Madeleine Ballard
1 day ago

Minister Concedes Contractors Will Be Hired To Do Work Of Axed Ministry Of Education Staff
The PSA can’t believe that the Minister of Education is happy for her ministry to hire contractors at the same time it is dismissing 565 workers. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Attempt to bar diplomat from Myanmar military junta fails
Myanmar community members applied to the courts to bar the diplomat from attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

LGNZ Welcomes Govt Earthquake-prone Buildings Decision
LGNZ has advocated for this decision as part of a remit led by Manawatū District Council. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

AUKUS Pillar 2 a 'fragrant, methane-wrapped bull***' – Bob Carr
The former Australian Foreign Minister has continued to warn New Zealand against joining the defence pact. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Enforceable undertaking issued to abc accounting services limited after continued non-compliance.
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has accepted an enforceable undertaking agreement from ABC Accounting Services Limited (ABC) under section 81 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT Act). ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

REVEALED: RNZ’s Hypocrisy Over Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill
The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Radio New Zealand (RNZ) spent $71,842.53 on Facebook advertising over the past 12 months, despite earlier this year coming out in support of the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill , which would force the likes ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Police rejected 'very good offer' – Mark Mitchell
Police Minister Mark Mitchell says the pay offer rejected by police was the best the government could put forward under difficult financial circumstances. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

How can we have truth-telling without the Voice? Our research shows a way forward
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The Uluru Statement from the Heart set out the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for “Voice, Treaty, Truth”, in ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

NZ education scores must improve – but another polarising ideological pivot isn’t the answer
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn E Wood, Associate Professor in Education, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images You don’t need to look hard right now to see concerns about Aotearoa New Zealand’s education system. Declining performance in international testing has been ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

An updated tally of the public sector job cuts
The coalition government has made it well known it expects departments to cut roles. We break down the numbers as they currently stand. Updated: 12pm, April 18 Before last year’s election, both National and Act made it clear that the public service was squarely in their crosshairs. Both parties, now ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
1 day ago

Confessions of an unlikely petrolhead
Checkered Flag director Natalie Wilson on her lifelong love of motorsport, and the allure of Pukekohe Park Raceway. One childhood summer when my world revolved around winning stuff off the radio, I bagged tickets to Western Springs Speedway and then to Waikaraka Park in what was a dream season for ...
The SpinoffBy Natalie Wilson
1 day ago

'Ambitious' trade pledge headlines Luxon's Thailand stop
The Prime has announced a commitment to triple two-way trade with Thailand by 2045, but it only requires maintaining current growth. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

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